Transcript for This Iraq Monastery, Once a Safe Haven for Christians, Has Been Abandoned

High in the mountains of Northern Iraq camouflaged among the crevices -- -- -- monastery. Here -- far from the battlefield only the wind in the ancient caves in the months. We make our way -- and the client is broken. -- the roar of fighter jets overhead in the war is here to. How to across this valley is ice since a new threat in this part of Iraq certainly the Christians here down through the centuries. Have occasionally been in conflict with their Muslim neighbors and they would come here to this place of safety. But now. There is no one here all the priests all the people have fled there has never been anything as dangerous to the Christians here. -- -- -- A small church and beyond a labyrinth -- chambers chapels cells and passages. Borrowed deep under the mountain. This places not just. A church in a monastery. It's a fortress and a refuge over the centuries of persecution Christians in this part of Iraq have come here to pray. And to escape. To contemplate. And -- Another world times. These ancient stone so beautifully and simply car. You get the feeling that the people who built these -- would've had here this is where they came to -- -- god is a place safety. Places enormous quiet. Places peace. The town below say -- amazed is Al caution founded 2500. Years ago one of the oldest Christian communities in the world. Today. A coaxed him. With the -- -- everyone left a few have returned but she missed a far painter who has made her home bright with faith and -- -- -- You love your home. It is my town I was born here is beautiful she says she tells me that the people here fled when ice was just a few miles down the road. If there had been no American airstrikes. What would happen. We would have been dead she says god bless America. Close -- -- An excellent candidate in the outside of the boys and solutions. No one's -- And our motherland and you'll always be -- Though he lives. Terry Moran ABC news. Being that AT and.

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